This chocolate frosted banana bread gets an upgrade with a chocolate butter cream frosting. And it’s a delicious addition!
I have made a ton of banana bread over the years and never had it occurred to me to frost it with chocolate buttercream until I spotted such a thing at a coffee shop a while back. Intrigued, I bought a slice and after the first bite, I had one of those “where have you been all my life!” moments. Yes, chocolate buttercream and banana bread is indeed a winning combination :)
Ingredients and Substitutions
Bananas – opt for very ripe bananas, for the best flavour.
Recipe Tips
Yes, I was a little heavy handed with the chocolate buttercream. I made a bit too much and I hate to waste :) Let me just say though, it definitely wasn’t a bad thing. A generous layer of buttercream is a beautiful thing and a more-than-worthy indulgence, I think :) That said, if you have extra, buttercream icing freezes beautifully, so you can always go that route.
A good stiff (but still creamy) buttercream is best here. Spoon it on, then use the end of an offset spatula to run some lines down the top from one end to the other to make the ridges.
Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing
I keep this one in the fridge. It keeps the icing tidy and slices neatly and easily when cold. If you prefer to eat it at room temperature, simply leave your slice on the counter for 5-10 minutes before eating.
This banana bread will also freeze well.
Decorating Tip
Here’s how to get nice clean edges on your frosting. Once your loaf is cooled, line your loaf pan with a sheet of parchment paper that covers the bottom and two long sides, extending up the sides a couple of inches about the pan. Pop your cooled banana bread in to the pan and frost, using the parchment sides to make a flat edge on the sides. Keep in the pan/parchment. Pop in to the fridge to let the frosting stiffen up, then to enjoy, simply pull out of the loaf pan using the parchment sides as handles, fold back the parchment sides and slice.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Frosted Banana Bread
Ingredients
Banana Bread:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 bananas, very ripe, peeled and mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s/icing sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted) and grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. Set aside. Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly while you proceed with the recipe.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and salt well, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar. In a separate medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add the mashed bananas, vanilla and slightly cooled melted butter and stir just until well combined. Add the banana mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture and stir with a spoon just until combined. Spoon in to prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then run a knife around the outside and remove loaf to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the chocolate buttercream: In a medium bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter well. Turn the mixer off. Add the milk, cocoa, icing sugar and a pinch of salt. Turn the mixer on low until the mixture is moistened, then increase speed to medium and mix until creamy, adding more icing sugar if needed to make a stiff, but still creamy frosting. Spoon on to completely cooled banana bread and use the end of an offset spatula to make ridges by running lines down the top from one end to the other.
Notes
More Banana Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
This was amazing… I made it for my birthday.
Wondering if anyone has tried making cupcakes with this recipe? If so, what temp and how long would I bake them?
So glad you enjoyed it, Theresa! I haven’t made cupcakes with this one, but as general guidance, 25F increase in temperature and generally 20-25 minutes, but depends on the size of your cupcakes. Thanks so much!
This was sooo yummy!! I had some old bananas I needed to use up and I’m so glad I chose this recipe. I was thinking of not doing the buttercream (just because my fam is trying to eat healthier) but I wanted to at least try it. Typically homemade buttercream is too sweet for my liking, so I started with the half cup of butter (creamed) and the 1/3 cup of cocoa and then added in only 3/4 cup of the icing sugar. I also had some open whipping cream and it needed some more moisture, so I added 1 tablespoon of that instead of milk. OMG! It was so fudgy and delicious! I could have eaten the whole thing by itself. It went perfectly with the banana bread. This was one of my bakes that was hard for me not to eat all in one day…
So glad you enjoyed it, Allie! I had a slice like this at a coffee shop a few years back and thought it was one of the most delicious treats that I just had to recreate at home. Thanks so much :)
how does one frost like this?? I love the ridges
Hi Alizay, I just used the rounded tip of an offset spatula. Just run it down the icing in lines and it forms those nice ridges :)
Well firstly g’day from ??
Stumbled across your site very happy that I have. This is bloody amazing ?, who would have thought to put a buttercream on banana bread, no kids left all grown so I get the beaters?. I love the simplicity of your cooking, but the taste is first class.
Hi Donna and g’day to you! I am in the same empty nest, so I’m enjoying cooking up things I like, without worrying about who likes what ;) Do enjoy this one. It’s a great treat!
Now this is my kind of banana bread :). I love that rich layer of chocolate buttercream!
Thanks Laura!
I need this! I’m a banana bread for breakfast person….and lunch…and dinner. Let’s just say if there is banana bread in the house, it’s not here for long. And yes, some butter makes it perfect but this is beyond my dreams, lol. I’m really not one for desserts but chocolate and banana bread can always lure me. Perfection. Heavenly. Gotta have it!
Thanks Robyn and yes, it was a treat for sure! Such a great flavour combination :)
OMG! This is the banana bread you were cooking the other day? WOW- it looks amazing!! .. and chocolate buttercream on top has definitely elevated this one to a whole new level. I bet its super rich and moist and oh I can almost taste it from you magnificent photos. Delish!
Yes! And yes, it is all those things! Thanks Anna :)
oh my gosh!!! these photos! a banana bread slathered in chocolate buttercream is a genius idea. totally craving for a slice right now Xx
Thanks so much, Thalia :)
This may sound silly, but – the ridges in the chocolate butter cream… Totally drawing attention to the upgrade:) Beautiful. This one is going to be a winner, I can tell:)
Thanks so much Milena :)
Seriously – I had no idea you could improve a great loaf of banana bread, until now! That frosting looks magnificent. So pretty and creamy and delicious. Outstanding!
Thanks Tricia! It’s a great flavour combination :)
How perfect does that chocolate buttercream look Jennifer?! I’ve made hundreds of loaves of banana bread and I’ve never iced it with chocolate buttercream! What I’ve been missing!
Thanks Mary Ann and yes, it was a delicious discovery for me!
Nope…. Have never thought to add chocolate buttercream to my banana bread! I am so happy I have some extra soft bananas in my kitchen… This looks amazing, my friend!
Thanks Annie and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in this one :)
Oh goodness, I didn’t think banana bread could get any better until right now! This looks absolutely delicious, Jennifer! And SO pretty (<- Something I typically don't say about 'naner bread). I bet the chocolate buttercream frosting with the bread is just out of this world delicious! Cheers, friend!
Thanks Cheyanne! It’s a delicious combination :)
OMG, no words for this one, just pure unadulterated lust…pinning and sharing!
Thanks so much, Sue :)